The Rough Draft of my TED Talk Speech

Close your eyes and think of a place that you wish you were at right this moment. Anyplace in the whole wide world. It could  be somewhere you've been, or somewhere you want to go, but wherever you're thinking of, go to that place. Can you imagine what you're seeing? Think of the food, what you're wearing, who you're with, all of it. It's your happy place. Everyone has one. Stay in your place for one more second. Ok, open them. If I told you that you could go to that place, right now, this instant, you would probably have to travel, in a car, on a plane, maybe even on a boat. And that probably seems like such a hassle but that's what you have to do. And it doesn't have to be as bad as you think.

Traveling was a part of my childhood, and it is still a big part of my life today. My extended family does not live in the United States, so traveling was the only solution. Imagine spending a full 24 hours or more traveling in airports, airplanes, and whatever is in between. My first plane ride was 18 hours long when I was only six months old. If you were wondering, I sat on my parents' laps the whole time, with a special seat belt. I was going to India to see the rest of my family for the first time. To this day, I have been to India eight times, have spent countless hours in planes, and formed a few tips that will make traveling of any kind more enjoyable.

The first tip that I have for you is that all travelers should stay occupied. During the whole trip, there should never be a dull moment to let your mind wander about how much you hate it. Long distance car, train, or even plane trips are the perfect time to catch up on something you've been meaning to do. Whether it's catching up your favorite TV series on Netflix, or reading a good mystery novel, it is essential that you have something to do. There may be time in between connecting flights. Find out how much time you have in advance to help you prepare for the wait. And if you're traveling with companions, make sure they also have something to do, or you will be sorry. Talk to your best friend on the phone, meet some new people at the airport, the list is endless.

The last time that I went to India, my family had 10 hours between our two flights. Ten hours to do nothing. We were waiting for my aunt and her family who would accompany us for the rest of the trip. After taking the  bus from the international terminal, to the domestic terminal, we sat down in the enterance area. Let me help you picture it. After waiting through the automatic doors, on our left was three to four baggage claims that had no baggage and weren't even moving. To our right were four long rows of chairs, back to back, made of faux leather with arm rests in between each seat. Very long story short, we waited. . . And waited. . .  And waited. We must've waited there for at least four hours doing absolutely nothing. We would look at the clock thinking that it had been at least 45 minutes, only to see it had only been 15. It was torture. We couldn't even sleep; the seats were downright irritating. After 12 hours on plane, all you want is to sleep. Trust me on this one. But, on the way back, we again had 10 hours of break but this time it went much faster. We waited in the new, modern international terminal. We ate food, read books, played on the computer, looked for gifts for our friends, and even slept. When we had to board our flight, I almost didn't want to because the wait was so much fun.

My next tip for you is that you ships be prepared for anything. And by at I don't just mean delays and cancellations but EVERYTHING.  Both good and bad. Before you leave your house, make sure that you have your tickets, passports, money, travelers checks and anything else you might need. I suggest that making a list will b quite helpful. Wear the right kind of clothing. Something comfortable depending on your destination. Then add layers becuase you never know how cold or warm the stations, airports, planes, and trains may be. This way you can take off or put on layers depending on your conditions. Two essential things that serious travelers must have is their own blanket and neck supporter. Both of these things make the experience of sitting down for extended periods of time, more enjoyable and comfortable. Because who actually wants to use hate airlanes blankets; they come out of a package for goodness sake. Lastly, know all your information. Be familiar, if not memorize it. Write it down in a few places so if you lose one, you have back-ups. From what platform/terminal you're going to be on, to the airline/train's name, to when you have to be there, it's all important. And don't forget how you're going to get back home.

During my last trip to India, we stopped a few times before we actually got to our destination. We started at Newark International Airport, flew to Brussels, Belgium, then on to New Delhi, India, where we transferred to the domestic terminal, and caught a flight to Cochin, Kerala, India. My home away from home. I made sure that I memorized our route, the airlines, all the essentials. It's made me feel more prepared for the trip. I also packed an extra change of clothes in case something happened to what I was wearing. And I was ready. My carry-on was filled with things I could do if a flight was delayed or we had 2 wait. And this could apply with car rides, train trips, and even boat rides.

My last tip for  you is to relax and enjoy. Even if you're taking the trip becuase of business reasons, forget about the business part, if you can, and enjoy the journey. One of my favorite things to do in airports is go window-shopping. The airports are usually a great example of what the culture is like outside the building. The clothes, souvenirs, and anything else found in the shops willrobably be new and interesting to anyone looking to waste some time. Which brings me to another aspect of enjoyment. Food! Although, most airports have your usual, Pizza Hut and such, take a chance and try something new. Because airport is sometimes the only part of the country that visitors see, the people will make sure that only the best is served for their tourists. Sure, you may not like it, but you tried something new, and it may even become a favorite of yours. Another pointer, look out the windows. If you're waiting for your flight to arrive at your terminal, looking out of the window is a great way to lose yourself in the unknown worlds around you. Observe the planes, or people working on the tarmac, or glimpse the city around you. When you're done, with that people watch. Now, I don't be a stalker and stare at people abut casually look at the people walking, and bustling about. Find people who are taking the same trip as you. Make stories about your surroundings. See where your travels take you, meet new people, and just go with flow. Whatever happens, take it in stride, and take it as a blessing.

During that horrid 10 wait, I tried to keep enjoying the fact that I was in India. And soon enough I would be home. I ate one of my favorite dishes, dosas, flat, lentil pancakes with chutney and curry. I bought sovineers for my friends and teachers. I played on the computers that we could use in terminals. I slept. When I looked out of the windows I could faintly see the lights of the capital city of India. When I look back on the wait, now I look back on it fondly. I had fun, that's for sure. And you see, that's why I enjoy traveling so much. The airports are filled which things to do even though, they are just meant to places to just pass by. Because of airports, I have seen different cultures in person with my own two eyes. I've seen people from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and who knows where else, speaking their native tongue. Going with the flow has brought to where I am today, both literally and figuratively. As I close today, I would you all to think about a two trips that that you've taken. One you enjoyed, and one you disliked. Now don't think about why you liked or dislikes a trip, but how lucky you were to have taken them. You experienced things that you wouldn't have experienced otherwise. Therefore, they have changed you forever. I leave you with three phrases; Go with the flow, Relax, and Enjoy. Thank you.

Researching Hard for TED

Hey Everyone!

For the rest of my public speaking class, we will be working on writing, and presenting TED talks. These talks will be our final project so we are spending a lot of time on them. The first step in this process is to research our topic. If you didn’t know, I chose to talk about how to travel. . . the right way. We learned that it can be very hard to find credible sites using Google. One of the resources that our school is paying for are the databases. These sites are managed by trustworthy people in the industry who can ensure that all the information is correct and up to date. I used these as my main source.

The first database I went to was CQ Researcher. I found two main articles that were useful to my topic. The first article was about the future of airlines in general. It gave me statistics about how many people are using the airlines today and how that will change. According to Peter Katel, “U.S. airlines alone flew 770 million passengers during the 12 months ending Nov. 30, 2007 — a 3 percent increase over the previous year. The total is expected to reach 1 billion annually by 2015.” (Katel). Although these number are a little old, they are still significant and relevant enough to use. Another interesting fact that I found was the following; "The Department of Transportation's inspector general reported to Congress last September that nearly 3.7 million passengers on 54,000 flights during the first seven months of 2007 had experienced runway delays on departure or arrival of one to five hours or more, an increase of 42 percent over the same period in 2006" (Katel). This will also help my talk because I can go on to talk about how to handle this situation and prepare for it, so it might even be an enjoyable experience.

In that same database, I found another article titled "Airline Safety" by Richard L. Worsnop. This article also included some interesting facts. The first one I found was that "From 1979 to 1992, according to NTSB figures, the annual number of takeoffs increased from 2.8 billion to 4.6 billion. Over the same period, the annual accident rate averaged .0012 accidents per million miles -- less than half the .0028 rate in the 14 years prior to deregulation" (Worsnop). Personally, I like the first sentence a little better than the second sentence, as to not bring a sense of worry to the listeners, but they are both good ways to prove a point.

In the other database, Grolier Online, I found similar statistics that both kind of old and helpful to prove a point. Another thing I searched for, was travel blogs. On these blogs I found tips and pointers that could help travellers. I got some ideas from these blogs as well as a good perspective on the topic from people who like to call themselves experts. I also enlisted my family to give me some tips that they would recommend to travelers. I tweaked and chose certain tips that I really liked. When I presented the research I had to the class, they also gave me some help.They recommended a book titled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest by Cheryl Strayed. It is about the author who hiked the whole Pacific Trail alone. She learned a lot about herself, her life and how she was going to live it. I haven’t read the book yet, but I aim to read, at the very least, certain parts. I’m can’t wait to see how my TED talk turns out and I’ll keep you updated. See you next week!

A Review of a TED Talk

http://youtu.be/93aYN-SSd_w

Examples of Citations

BOOK:

• Dick, Ron, and Dan Patterson. Aviation Century Wings of Change. Erin, Ont.: Boston Mills, 2005. Print.

LIBRARY DATABASES:

• "airport." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 07 Nov. 2014. <http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/11049/airport>.
• Katel, Peter. "Future of the Airlines." CQ Researcher 7 Mar. 2008: 217-40. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.

ARTICLE:

"Sub Navigation." Fact Sheet: Economic & Social Benefits of Air Transport. IATA, June 2014. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.

Four Possible TED Talks Topics

1. Being Town Scholar
2. Playing an Instrument 
3. Private School vs. Public School
4. How to Travel. . . The Right Way

A Must-Watch TED Talk

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story#t-1114035

This TED talk was one of the most interesting and compelling out of all that the ones that I watched today. It's about a Nigerian woman named Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who, throughout her life, gets told stories about the herself and the world around her. She learns about how others see her because of the stories they have been told and the danger of a single story. When she is speaking, she talks with such emotion that you must pay attention. She talks with confidence and clarity. She knows exactly what she's talking about and how to project that to the audience so they can understand her message. Her speaking is exemplary and her writing was of the top quality.